Donald Trump's choice of Scott Pruitt fits neatly with the Republican
president-elect's promise to cut back the EPA and free up drilling and
coal mining, and signals the likely rollback of much of Obama's
environmental agenda.

The name of mining baron and former BJP Minister Janardhan Reddy has cropped up in the suicide note of a 30-year-old driver of a Special Land Acquisition Officer (SLAO) of Bengaluru. The driver, who k...

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has alleged that the Congress government has succumbed to the pressure by the mining lobby of Ballari by scrapping the ‘conservation reserve’ tag given to the Kappata...

A government driver has committed suicide, saying he was being harassed for his knowledge of mining baron Gali Janardhana Reddy's money laundering deals. K C Ramesh alias Ramesh Gowda, a native of Maddur taluk, was the official driver of Bheema Naik, Special Land Acquisition Officer, Bengaluru Urban District. Ramesh checked into Samrat Lodge on the Mysuru-Bengaluru highway and killed himself by drinking poison, police said.
The death came to light at 6 pm on Tuesday. Ramesh was facing death threats from Naik and his second driver Mohammed, Ramesh's brother Mahendra has told the police. Ramesh has left behind a 12-page note, saying the KAS officer helped Reddy launder Rs 125 crore for a 20%commission. He has also listed Naik's assets and the bribes he purportedly paid officials and politicians to close corruption cases against him.
The KAS officer and Mohammed, Ramesh's note says, were threatening him with dire consequences if he spoke about the murky deals. Naik was close to B Sreeramulu, Ballari MP. ...

Senior BJP leader Jagadish Shettar on Wednesday said the state government is trying to help private companies by reversing its decision to declare Kappatagudda forest in Gadag district as a conservation reserve.
Shettar, who is leader of the Opposition in the Legislative Assembly, said the government had issued a notification in 2015 by declaring parts of Kappatagudda as conservation reserve going by the ecological aspects. However, on November 4, 2016, the notification was withdrawn to help mining company Baldota group and Encorn power generating company.
He said Ramgad Minerals of Baldota group intends to take up mining activities including gold deposit exploration. The company has submitted an application to the government in this regard. While withdrawing the notification, the government should have sought the Supreme Court's permission. But this process has not been followed, he charged.
Shettar said that as many as 20 seers of various mutts recently met Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and submitted a ...

After the opulent wedding of his daughter post demonetisation, G Janardhan Reddy is at the centre of a fresh row, with the car driver of a state official allegedly committing suicide, leaving a note claiming he got Rs 100 crore converted into white money for the mining baron for the marriage.
K C Ramesh allegedly committed suicide by consuming poison at a lodge at Maddur in Mandya district yesterday, leaving a death note, police said today.
In the note, recovered by police, Ramesh listed alleged illegal activities committed by Bheema Nayak, special land acquisition officer (Bengaluru).
Holding the official and his personal driver responsible for his death, Ramesh alleged that there was a threat to his life as he came to know the illegalities allegedly committed by Nayak and how he recently got the money converted for the wedding of Reddys daughter.
Police said they have registered a case and an investigation is on.
The handwritten death note said Nayak had met Reddy and BJP MP Sriramulu at a guest house ...